Girls 'deserve better': priest

Damian BathersbyA journalist for more than 25 years, Damian Bathersby takes a completely irreverent look at life in his weekly blog Through My Eyes. The twice-married father of four and stepfather of two refuses to take things too seriously because he reckons taking cheap shots at life is the only thing that keeps him sane these days.

Local Real Estate

Subscribe Now

THE parish priest of four girls at the centre of an international custody battle has called on authorities to allow them to urgently return to school.

Fr Joe Duffy of Stella Maris parish in Maroochydore said the girls, who were in foster care in Brisbane while the courts decided their fate, deserved better treatment than they were reportedly receiving.

And he confirmed he had been contacted by a family member with a message that the girls wanted to talk to him - something he said he was willing to do if authorities allowed.

Fr Duffy reacted angrily to reports the girls, aged nine to 15, had not been to school since the Family Court placed them in the care of the Department of Child safety five weeks ago.

Media reports yesterday said the four were receiving no schooling at all until recently, when they were allowed access to a tutor.

The girls - who cannot legally be identified - are at the centre of a tug of war between their Italian father, and Australian mother who brought them back to the Sunshine Coast in July 2010.

They were placed in foster care after their 70-year-old great-grandmother spent a week hiding them so they could not be forcibly deported.

While the courts have gagged the parents from talking to the media, a family member has told the Daily the girls only get to see their mother twice a week in the "sterile" surrounds of a DOCS office.

They had not seen any of their friends since being put into care.

The younger two girls attended Stella Maris Primary School and Fr Duffy said he was outraged by the treatment they had received since being detained.

"I can't believe that four lovely young girls are being locked up like this and treated this way," he said.

"Personally, I can't understand why they can't be with their mother and they should definitely be at school.

"Other parents who don't send their children to school get into trouble not DOCS it seems.

"Like any young girls they need social interaction. They need to be in touch with other young people, especially their friends."

Fr Duffy said he was hoping to visit the girls after receiving a message through a family member.

"They apparently said they wanted to speak to me urgently and as their pastor I am willing to do that.

"They obviously wouldn't be sending that message for fun and I told the family member that as soon as someone contacts me with the details, I will be there for them."

Members of the girls' family did not return the Daily's calls.

The High Court is expected to decide the girls' fate next month and the Family Court will on Friday hear another application from the mother to have them returned to her care pending the decision.